


Heavy Sins of The Young Wolf

by DormireAmore



Series: Fate Of The Young Wolves [4]
Category: Destiny (Video Games)
Genre: F/F, Gen, Pre-Game: Destiny 2: Forsaken DLC
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-18
Updated: 2020-07-18
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:27:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25357702
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DormireAmore/pseuds/DormireAmore
Summary: Sophia just reconnected with her mother, and that was already being taken away.Every step forward was two steps backwards and it's making her wonder if this was all worth it. She walks around the Last City with people calling her a title she didn't earn, one that is covered in blood and death.Sophia Scout just wanted to disappear.
Relationships: Female Guardian/Female Guardian (Destiny)
Series: Fate Of The Young Wolves [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1757854
Comments: 3
Kudos: 2





	1. Fate Understood

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Bondini_the_fabulous](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bondini_the_fabulous/gifts).



**May 14th, 2794**

Lilian Scout didn't truly understand her told fate until she died. 

A prophecy muttered under the breath of every scholar, hidden away from prying eyes; split down from the heavens lights of the Traveler centuries ago. Two verses of a Guardian stuck between the battle of light and darkness. Of good and bad. It whispered about how the light users would forever be stuck in a time of great balance. 

That if tipped in the wrong direction, untold horrors and corruption would occur. It had been theorised over the centuries known to this prophecy would bring great change to the chosen one. 

Harsh battles, unforgettable losses. They would suffer, and suffer mighty. And suffer did Lilian Scout. 

Reborn into a horrific time, weapon forced in hand, memories all but a single piece of fabric wiped from her mind. Never did this Guardian bare mind to this well. She took this supposed gift of new life with stride. Battled Gods unfightable, killed those immortal. With the power of the Traveler, her days seemed never ending. 

But little to Lilian Scout, and common knowledge to Vanguard; with every bullet shot out, or Nova Bomb cast, she was getting closer and closer to the end of our hero's end and fate. 

Her final destination. 

A being of complete demolition would snuff her out like a flame. See Ikora knew this was coming, this great war against a power raging monster. Yet she never told the Last City's loving Guardian that any moment she would die. Ikora Rey didn't give the Warlock a chance to say goodbye. The woman didn't even tell her own Vanguard members that this mission they just sent the Warlock on, could be it. 

So when the vile creature raised it's sword, and threatened to take all that meant to light to her, Lilian Scout raised her sword as well. With the clash of metal on metal, they fought. 

Time is a meaningless construct as a god turned mortal and a mortal turned god swung to wits end. She could feel the Traveler's power in her veins. As her armor glowed like a star, Lilian Scout fought against the prophecy with every strike. 

And finally when the enemy dropped down, she dropped down as well. Fighting against Fate herself, the Guardian slowly crawled to a stand and reached out to the Traveler. And it reached back. 

She could feel the darkness for once in the ever flowing years reside. One by one pieces of that glowing ball eased it's way together. 

Through the cracks of the ceiling, the Warlock healed what time could not. The Chosen One's scream was silent but felt by every living creature as she collapsed to the ground. 

Her ghost could do nothing but look up as well. Both were dying. Both knew this fact. Both were okay with it. 

Lilian Scout sent a prayer to the Traveler that it would make sure her daughter and lover would be alright; and when it promised that it would make sure, the Chosen one closed her eyes and never opened them once more.


	2. Cracks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So she's gone... What happens now? 
> 
> Though I have gone through grief and the death that has come before it, if anything stands out to you the reader that doesn't feel right or is too exaggerant please leave a comment and let me know! I always work to better my skills and opinions from others good and bad is part of it. :)

**October 25th, 2794**

She didn't show her face after her mother's death. At first it was a sense of privacy because others liked to stare. Sophia hated those eyes of others watching as she walked across the Annex. Or recognized the Hunter by her ship. As fast as she could, the white-haired girl switched ship models, no longer wanting to deal with it all. 

But then came herself. 

At night when wary from days on end of fighting across the galaxy, the Hunter would with hesitation in every step make her way back to the Last City. But in the safety of her own bunk in the Hunter dormitory when Sophia looked into the mirror, she couldn't help but see her mom look back. 

As the mirrors in her inventory disappeared, so did the people who once remembered what she looked like as well. The only thing that set the Hunter apart was Cerberus+1 slung across her back. The Warlock’s own gun was gifted to her daughter from the grave. 

At the moment she was tucked away in a raid; Crown of Sorrow, softly talking to her ghost in between encounters.  
She was put in with 5 other random guardians who all were part of a pack of sorts, called themselves Prime Fire and they luckily needed a six. Calus called for her specifically and Sophia not feeling any worse about it and joined the raid party. 

"Isn't that the Chosen One's daughter?" One of the Titans; Corey suddenly asked over comms as 4 out 5 of the team rolled through the jumping puzzle, periodically shooting crystals. 

Sophia gripped her Distinct Relations tighter but said nothing, allowing the conversation to continue without cutting in. 

The Exo Warlock Soul-5 to her right sent a shot right in the back of Corey who loudly yelped and skipped a jump, barely making it to the other side. "Don't say stuff like that when that Guardian is right damn here, crayon eater." 

The other Titan: Azul gave the loudest crack at that and it sent the two hunters Sana and Bolt-17 into hysterics as well as they all made it to the other side. 

"Alright, enough enough," Azul finally said, getting the last crystal. "Our lovely ladies on the other side, you can head over now." 

Soul gave the ok and Sophia quickly had her ghost Avery put the scout rifle away, making her way across.  
Right when she was about to make it across, the Exo behind suddenly gave a yell in surprise. The Hunter turned to see her crystal partner about to not make her jump, overshooting a bit.  
Quickly jumping back Sophia reached forward and with a bit of Traveler's luck on her side, gripped the Warlock's gauntlets and successfully pulled her up. 

"Nice save, Scout!" Bolt gave a little cheer as they rushed forward to help the pair up. The Nightstalker's hands gripped tight on her waist, keeping balance as the other two gained bearings. Sophia had to keep a flinch back when the nothingness of the void started to reach inside with the prolonged contact. It was too much like her mother- 

Bolt-17 must have clued in what was happening because as soon as they were steady, they dropped their hands with an awkward chuckle. "Sorry personal bubble, I get it." 

The Arcstrider shrugged it off as best as she could and just gave the Exo a small nod. 

Passing by, Soul gave a pat on her helmet where her cheeks would be, "Thank you, love." 

After that exciting jump puzzle, things kept up pace with the next encounter. 

"Now guys, we are trying to only do one phase, is that clear?" The Titan, Azul questioned in comms putting down the Raid banner. Sophia was quickly catching on the roles on this team, and it seemed that Azul acted of sorts as the Fireteam leader. 

Rallying to the banner and moving left, the encounter started and Gahlran showed up. Stuck with Soul-5 again on Void, they got to work. 

She got blessed first, feeling the witches power rush in her veins, sparking almost badly with her arc. With little less than a minute on the clock, she killed what she could until Avery called out in comms for a switch. It was helpful to have a ghost communicating for the guardian in situations like these, especially when said guardian didn’t talk. There were a lot of rumors on why Sophia didn't speak in the tower. More than one betting pool as well, glimmer stacked up on who would hear the Guardian's first words. Well, not as much before… 

The day that the Scout family count went from two back to one went from quiet to loud within a bang. 

\---

**May 15th, 2794**

Betrayal was the first thing that Sophia remembered feeling.  
When she got that comm about the news she was in the middle of the courtyard, simply browsing what bounties Shaxx had for Crucible later. Zavala had been suspiciously absent from his post and while Sophia ignored it at first, she knew she should have seen more into it later on. 

"Guardian you have a message incoming," Avery spoke on her shoulder. 

The Arcstrider just gave a motion to continue, not looking away from one of Lord Shaxx's frames, still browsing and trying to figure out what she wanted to do.

Her Ghost gave her head a small nudge trying to push her along, "You may wish to put that aside for the moment, something happened." 

The Hunter's head snapped up at this, eyebrows raised. She pointed to her temple quickly, then one palm flat and the other in a 'v' shape tapped twice, a puzzled look on her face. "What do you mean?" 

Bounties more than forgotten about, she gave the frame a silent apology and turned the other direction, rushing to the Hall of the Guardians. 

Inside like always was buzzing with chatter. Workers all around working on communication, satellites in sync with Guardians bouncing around collecting information, guns, bounties.  
Nothing out of the normal. But Sophia's eyes snapped to the middle where Ikora stood stoic standing next to Zavala. She stood a defensive stance, but eyes stood cold and shadowed. The Warlock was building up her walls, protecting herself she silently noted. 

"You called?" Avery said, ever helpful as she floated on her usual spot on the Scout's left shoulder.

Hesitant for a second, the Voidwalker gestured for her to follow, the other two members of the Vanguard as well following suit.  
Down a hallway, then another until Sophia lost sense of direction. She tucked her cape around tight and Avery tighter. 

"What's going on?" The ghost voiced the question on both of their minds. No one said anything, Zavala usually put together, gave one last pitiful look before they finally reached a door. The Speaker's -new headquarters. Bare and without a Speaker to fill with books and knowledge on the Traveler, it was cold inside.

At the end of the room though was softly lit, something catching the glint of the candles at the end. Her footsteps were nothing, ever quiet compared to the Vanguard Commander's heavier steps or Ikora's lighter ones. At the end of the room was a crown sort of helmet on top of a white cloth, laid on something, someone- 

The Hunter's legs collapsed under her, barely making it a foot closer. 

"No..." Her ghost, ever brave, went forward and scanned the helmet. "It can't be." Sophia could do nothing but stare forward, knowing what lay under that white sheet. 

"There was nothing we could do," Ikora's voice echoed in the room to her right. It was tight with regret, pain. "It was a fate sealed by the Traveler the day your mother was first Risen. She was destined to do great things, and she did. Saved the Last City countless times…" The Warlock joined Avery at the helmet. A hand pressed lightly where her mother's heart would be-

Sophia choked a sob down, barely able to stand up with Zavala's help. 

"A hotshot, and a damn good one at that," Cayde softly spoke for the first time out of all this. 

"Such a shame the Traveler decided this would be the way for her to go." 

At that, the Arcstrider couldn't take it anymore, spinning on her feet and running out. She barely could see straight the tears finally falling and falling hard. There was nothing else to hide at this point.  
After a maze of turns, she finally was back in the courtyard, a mess. The Traveler stood mocking above, knowing what it did. 

"YOU TOOK HER FROM ME, YOU TOOK MY MOTHER!" Sophia screamed, voice cracking from lack of use. She could feel her Light cackle around her, Arc in the front demanding the show while Solar stood to the side, ready to take the show over at any time. 

Guardians, vendors, civilians all alike stood quaking as the Chosen One's daughter mourned in the only way she could. Another Hunter to the side rushed to the broken kid at any guardians standard's side. Gripping her tight. 

"It's okay love, I know," Emerson Reeves tried to soothe without prevail. 

Sophia turned and sobbed in her arms, shaking like a leaf. No words left, but all could feel it. The Vanguard finally showed up, all watched as now the widow and orphan stood holding each other tight. The Last City's Savior gone. 

While everyone mourned for the loss of a great hero, Emerson left for the far edges unable to deal with the loss of the love of her life. 

This left Sophia alone to build up herself again. She became Young Wolf, the title passed on by Lilian Scout's death. 

It became the age of the new Young Wolf.

\---


	3. Bad Idea

**October 25th, 2794**

“You okay there, Hunter?” 

Jerking up from her thousand-yard stare with the wall, Sophia is surprised to see Azul in front of her. The leader of the pack silently asked if he could sit next to her on the futon, and who was she to say no; not like it was hers anyways. After a successful but tiring 4 hours, they had finished the raid and called for a celebration. It had been Soul-5 that persisted Sophia had to come with, and how could she even try to say no to the sweet Warlock. 

The Awoken leader now to her left stayed a respectful distance away, watching his fireteam with a smirk. Sana and Corey were in the middle of an arm-wrestling match, all while Soul stood cheering and Bolt in almost shock. All of the pack’s ghosts including hers were nowhere to be found, perhaps celebrating in their own way somewhere else. Sophia could feel her connection with Avery as bright as ever so there was no worry. 

The white haired Arcstrider took the time to study the people she had just spent the last few hours fighting beside. 

Azul Xuj, no surprise, was as much a proctor as his Light was a Ward of Dawn. Now without his gear, the man was Awoken with smooth marble blue skin and sharp purple eyes that seemed to swim in Void. For a moment Sophia allowed herself to sink in that nothingness of Light before moving on. 

Sana Zush acted like any stereotypical Hunter would in a jittery fashion. The sharpshooter bounced from one thing to the next, the type of person she would ignore on a basis, but hey it got the attention off of her. Her short brown but curly hair was held tight by a leather strand, and dark skin that looked just like melted chocolate against the Solar of her gun. 

The other Hunter was an Exo, the other Void member of the pack. Bolt-17 was one of the taller ones only rivaled by the Titans and from what she saw earlier they packed a punch with the bow and arrow. They were made out of durasteel and slightly chipped blue paint. But trustworthy, the Scout concluded. That was something rare for her. 

Next was the Sunbreaker Corey Nightingale. Avery made a crack at his last name for her, the ghost saying that maybe he should have been Void. The human was for sure the tallest out of the whole group, but somehow the man managed to be the one to catch her in surprise. More than once during the whole encounter she needed someone to come and help her and had turned around to see the man right there. With blond hair and green eyes, Sophia couldn’t help to think that she’s met him before. But her ghost said she hadn’t, so the Hunter let it drop. 

Finally scanning over to the sole Warlock in the mists of blades and shields, Soul-5 was levelheaded the most. More than once she had kept the raid in check with a side word or two, the Arcstrider’s crystal buddy keeping it calm. But it seemed now that she was doing the opposite, cheering on her packmates as Corey and Sana were still head and head. 

Simply taking the break for what it was, Sophia sat back on the couch, hugging her legs tight. In a few minutes she would find Avery where that ghost was hanging with Prime Fire’s other little lights and then make their way to one of her camps in the EDZ. She would sketch in a plan to do a few patrols on Titan, or maybe schedule a Vanguard strike or something to get some glimmer.  
But that was later, and the mute girl was fine with what she had at the moment. Curled up on a couch watching her teammates be foolish. 

\---

It wasn’t to the growls of Cabal on Earth, nor that ticking like a clock noise of Vex that woke Sophia up, but to the soft talking of a person. The Hunter slowly sat up from the couch, legs stretched out. 

Right beside her was Soul still sleeping, using her cloak as a blanket of sorts. Just leaving the thing behind with the Warlock was a no in her books, but the Scout didn’t wish to leave the exo without it, so she was left waiting for her crystal buddy to wake up. The cloak itself was nothing special, just one she earned from Slone on Titan. But attached to it was her mother's Warlock Band. Sophia wore it not for in memory but for honor. It was her version of taking up a fallen comrade's cloak, keeping that fight inside her. 

“You don’t have much on you, do you?” Corey asked above, offering the Hunter something steaming from a mug. She took it with a silent thanks and let the question simmer for a second. She guessed she really didn’t. 

Hunters were born explorers, always going to one place or another with only small safe camps if a needed night’s rest was in order. Sophia only truly carried the armor on her back, and a few select guns, everything else in the vault or disregarded for glimmer. With Cerberus+1 safely tucked away the only stick the Arcstrider had to the Tower was the cloak that was currently being ‘borrowed.’  
She shook her head as no and held the mug in her hands soaking up its warmth, pleasantly surprised to find not coffee but some type of sweet tea. 

While her helmet kept some form of secrecy or cover, even around she couldn’t take it off. Waiting for the weird looks that she usually got from other guardians for not taking it off in times that were deemed appropriate, times that she had to learn. The Hunter was never good at social cues, something her Ma’ had a laugh about, saying that it was a trait the girl had always held. So Sophia just held the cup still, keeping her shoulders tilted in and head down. 

But no looks came.

"Didn't look like a coffee person to me," the Titan simply said, giving her a bit of silent room. No, she wasn't. 

A quick scan around the room found that Azul, Bolt and Sana were all gone, leaving just the three. The only sound in the apartment was the exo's fans humming and she slept and someone walking by outside. It was peaceful, something the girl wasn't used to in the Tower. If she ever was here, it was a night at the Hunter's dormitory then back out in the wild. 

Sophia gained Corey's attention then gestured around in a silent 'Where did they all go?' 

The Sunbreaker chuckled, he seemed to be doing a lot of that this morning. "Zavala called them in for some early morning strike. They were gone before you even thought about waking.

Nodding to that, the Hunter looked over to see that Soul-5 had wrapped herself tighter in the cloak. She lightly tugged on it, but once again to no slack. 

Corey saw her struggle and gave a pitiful glance. "Sorry Arc, don't think you're getting that back anytime soon. Why don't you just sleep instead, take today as a freebie? That's a rare treat for Guardians for sure." 

Taking his advice, Sophia placed the mug now cold on a random table, then curled back on the futon; this time actually laying down. “I’ll keep watch,” she heard the blond say. "I know how you Hunters are." 

It seemed he did, and putting a little more trust on this Clan  
wouldn't hurt a bit would it? She ignored that rush of worry that seeded itself deep inside her and closed her eyes. 

\---

_"You'll never walk away from this, it'll be there forever," The Traveler will whisper to you, just when you think you are safe._

_The wind will howl all around you, threatening to make you stumble to the deep dark below. You hold still for now, but your arms are shaking; that grip on your knife isn't as tight as it was when this all began._

_"The Young Wolf, Hunter. This is a legacy heavy to carry. Hold it  
close to you, it'll kill you." _

_You want to scream that no it won't, that you'll live through that fate. But to one who's seen what it has done to your mother, it makes you frightened._

_It put the weight of the whole universe on her. Her fate was to kill gods, to defeat the undefeated. And that killed her as it would kill you._

_"You will die." The words sat heavy on you; you're sinking with it.  
If possible, all around you got louder and louder. The Darkness was getting closer and you could faintly hear your Ghost calling your name. But you can’t listen to them when the world is ending in front of you. _

_That crown of a helmet that your mother wore, it’s been passed to you. The Last City is on your shoulders, the weight is too heavy._

_Legs can’t handle the weight of it all, and the railing is gone. You will fall, fall down. It’s too far down. And as the ground gets closer and closer so does that fear of it all._

_You wake up._

\---

Sophia’s first reaction is that she had to run. Surely waking up that loud had alerted something of her location and she had to get away. 

Something was still calling her name, but all she could do was scramble off her spot that she left last night. Instead of hard ground like usual though it was soft fabric that scrapped her legs. 

A voice cut in through the panic though, one that the Hunter faintly recognized. Through blurry eyes ready to boil over with tears she could see someone looking at her with concern. Not just anyone, Azul. The Awoken slowly sat down, passing over her ghost who chirped with worry, “Are you okay Guardian?” her sweet little light asked. 

Sophia just yanked her helmet off and gloves too, the tightness of it all being too much. Her ghost took those and stored them without a word. 

Able to wipe her eyes finally and still ignoring the looming concern above her, the girl managed to calm herself down. The panic of the dream still settled deep inside her, threatening to boil over at any moment, but at the current second it seemed okay. 

Out of the corner of her vision, the Hunter saw Soul offer her cloak with gentle motions. She scooped it up and wrapped it around, feeling safer with her Ma’s bond close again. With that dealt with, the sudden rush of embarrassment hits in. 

For one, she just embarrassed herself with a petty nightmare in front of both Azul and Soul-5. Part of Sophia was hoping that they could be a few people she could call backup. Here was the Arcstrider messing it up again, like she messed everything else up. Even Emerson had enough of her shit and straight up left as well. 

Still refusing to meet eyes with the pair, she pushed herself up and crossed her arms. “I’ll go now,” Sophia crocked out, quickly making her attempt to flee before they called her out like everyone else did. But, to her surprise the exo rushed forward and gripped her hand tight. 

“We’re not going to make fun of this or anything, you know, that right?” Even with a face molded from leds and molten metal, Soul-5 managed to look upset. Like the very thought of other guardians talking shit affected her as much as it did Sophia. 

Hating that look directed towards her, she just nodded. She knew that, yes. But was she going to acknowledge it right now? No, that was for a thought in the far future. When the Warlock was a thing in her past, because this was a one time thing.

Just like her mother, and the Young Wolf behind her, and on and on; having others by your side gets them killed. Ignoring that thought that maybe the Hunter finally had someone to lean on again 5 months after she lost her last one, she opened the door. 

A face still red with embarrassment became one of white steel and piercing white eyes, and she was back outside. 

Walking down to the Annex head tilted down, Sophia didn’t even look in the direction of the Warlock Commander’s call out. And if she walked a little faster than usual, that was nothing to add. 

\---


	4. Space Watches Back

**February 6th, 2795**

During the turn of the new year, the Arcstrider was in the pits of the Tangled Shore trying to master Void. When that didn’t work out and even Spider got pissed enough at her, Sophia bounced off and went to the next random location. 

She was still pretending to be a random Hunter with armor she never truly liked, wearing a cloak Avery found in the Dreaming City at the start of this all. Her ghost called this act running away, but Sophia denied it; even as she changed the locations of all her stashes and camps after finding that someone found one of hers on Venus. 

The comm calls from the Vanguard shortened from report messages to just pings within the months, but ever relentless was the messages from Azul Xuj. The Titan always sent a message every day, till the point that the Hunter threw the comm off into the methane sea of Titan. 

She needed time to herself, why didn’t they understand that? 

It wasn’t until at the 5-month mark when she entered one of her camps in Mercury that she came face to face to no one but Sana Zush of pack Prime Fire. 

Standing at a deadly still, the Scout stared bug eyed at the other Hunter as she messed with one of the simulation seeds that was rolling around on the chalky ground. Her armor was coated with that red sand like everything on Mercury was, and her stance was tense enough it put Sophia on edge. “You know, usually after one goes on a trip, they answer messages people ask?" Sana spoke suddenly, looking up to the Arcstrider.

“She threw it away on Titan two months ago,” Avery informed her, popping up on her shoulder. 

Sophia rolled her eyes and batted the ghost away. Ignoring the other Hunter for now, she began the process of packing up her spot since clearly this one was compromised. 

The dark-skinned woman just let her, lounging on her crate. “You have to come back sometime soon; the Vanguard would have already presumed you dead if Bolt and I didn’t realize you were rotating your camps around.” 

The Scout just shook her head, as to say, _‘No the hell I don’t.’_

The sleeping bag was transmitted last to her ship, then the crate filled with guns and her booze. With that Sophia gave the Hunter a stiff nod and turned around, starting the lengthy process of finding another area to kick ass around. 

\---

**May 15th, 2795**

This wasn’t what the title of Young Wolf was supposed to be, she thought about that night, autopilot on rotating around the upper atmosphere of Earth. 

Feet kicked up on the console, Sophia mourned the last of her liquor, letting the bottle drop to the ground. She was supposed to be fighting in her mother’s honor, but instead she spent the day kicking the bottle around in Old Detroit. Then when it became too blurry to even see straight, the Hunter had her ghost transmit her back to her ship. 

That was 7 hours ago, and now rounding 0300 Tower time the Scout was out of tears to cry, out of booze to drink, out of shits to give. It didn’t make the weight of her mourning or the title on her shoulders any less heavy to carry, but it made those and terraformed them into background music. 

Last night just like the night before that and before that was filled with the same nightmare of someone blaming her. Sometimes it was the Traveler like the first time, but sometimes it was Ikora Rey screaming at her, or her mother saying that her daughter wasn’t fast enough, but the last time it was Azul. His team all stood behind him, backing up every word of poison he spat out. 

At the Last City they were mourning in probably a better fashion of the anniversary then Sophia was doing. A memorial was put up just 4 cycles ago, signed with some shit quote by the Speaker and the Arcstrider was invited too, but like all the others she ignored it. 

The Sun shining on this side of Earth gave her a reflection of herself, and in her drunken mind it wasn’t a very good one. Her hair was still all off because of the helmet head and not having been washed in a long bit made it all fucked up. Hair she tried and tried again to just chop off, no longer wishing to see that pearl white her Ma’ passed along. Dark bags under the Hunter’s eyes as well stood out and clashed horribly with her pale skin. Scars all over her neck, her wrists, her cheeks. Scars Sophia refused to allow Avery to heal, as much as the ghost begged to. It was a pitiful sight and one that she hated.

The Young Wolf was turning her coat grey with every cut, and soon there would be nothing left. 

\---


	5. A New Turn

**August 2nd, 2796**

Night has already taken over when the lone figure makes their way to the center of the city. With a small jump, they make it to the middle of the chaos all around them.  
Any patrols worth killing were long gone in this ancient block. Erosion has taken its course on the buildings all around and Darkness has done the rest. 

Paris no longer was the pretty architecture like the Pre-Golden age data mines showed. 

Vaulting over the last wall in her way, Sophia was greeted with what she was looking for. In the middle of the destruction were a few flowers still blooming even after a few years of no care.  
In her mother’s journal’s all the way in the back was a map to the ruined city of love. No one went there ever, there was nothing of interest really as well. It made the perfect spot to make secrets and keep things hidden.

Carefully as to not mess up one of the last things in this universe left here by Lilian Scout, the Hunter took gentle steps to the small bundle of flowers resting in the ground then sat down next to them. 

Finally following her Mother’s instructions exactly as they were read out by Avery, she touches the same soil that the Warlock touched almost 10 years ago. Hands dig under the roots, careful not to uproot the flowers and out comes a digital data cube. 

“It’s a video Sophia, do you wish for me to play it?” Avery asked, and the Arcstrider just nodded. 

The noise of static takes over.

Projected by her ghost, Sophia was granted a fuzzy video of her mother in her ship. 

The video must have been taken before Sophia was even a  
Guardian because she was wearing robes that the Hunter didn’t recognize, though still white in color like all the others she ever wore. Lilian looked younger in this frame as well, though eyes still held the same amount of wisdom as they always did. Guardians didn’t age like proper mortals, but things could give away their age. 

The missing scar across her nose for one that the Hunter had always seen on her mother was no longer there. Her eyes were lighter, but still carried some pain that you see in other Guardians. A little darker though then the other Guardians as well. 

When she first speaks though, Sophia has to hold back a sob. 

“I've been worried about you sunshine. You were always a quiet lil' girl growing up, okay with just giving a smile or a laugh to tell me how you were feeling.” There’s a pause in the frame, like Lilian is caught in a small memory far beyond what she should remember, but the moment passes, and she continues. 

“Sophia, you were my bright ball of light in our first lives. I would do  
anything for you, and you always gave me that look like I hung up the moon for you back. It would put a lump in my throat when something happened that I couldn't fix, or you got hurt with something I couldn't prevent. I doubt that you could remember when you were just a small thing, and there's no way you could remember now; but your father wasn't very nice to us when you were growing up.” 

She looks angry at this point, fist tightened and face growing red. The Warlock was still very pissed at it still, hundreds of years later. “He would throw up these nasty words and leave a red bruise on me, but I remember the one time he tried to touch you Sophia. Well, I was furious. 

That scum of a man, try to lay a hand on my daughter? That was the first time we fled away, on a ship called Courage away from it all.”

The name runs a memory for the Arcstrider. Of yellow clothes and a fast elevator, of a sweet laugh, her mother’s soft hands. It’s gone before it even started. 

“Courage. One thing I hoped I was successful at passing down to  
you. Courage to stand up for others, but most importantly yourself. I know that even now in this life, with a ghost that can revive me and I'm stronger than I was ever before, there will be a situation where I'll no longer walk this old and soon forgotten solar system.”  
Once the words started flowing, Sophia knew they wouldn’t stop. 

“They call me a lot of titles here too, because I've killed Gods, ascended to the deepest pits of Darkness, gave Light to those who needed to shine bright. I've been alone a lot too…” The words Young Wolf rings in both of the Scout’s ears, different times in years but same by memory. 

“Sophia, the Traveler is telling me things I shouldn't listen to as well, that it's thinking about you, if you're my daughter you could be just like me. You could be better. But, I don't want that for you, you don't deserve to be a savior of this all, where titles are nothing and the glimmer runs out as well.”

She goes on for a few more minutes, but soon enough the tears are flowing for both mother and daughter. The two kept apart for centuries, fate saying that they’d meet again but never said how long. “Just remember that I love you, Soph. I won’t always be there for you, so it’s up to you to find those people that are. Keep them close to your heart and hold them tight. 

This world has been harsh on me, and it will be even harsher on you. But push forward my sunshine. Be my Young Wolf.” 

With that the video ended leaving a broken Hunter and lost Ghost.  
Another person made their way across the gone concrete, to the small garden and even smaller Guardian. They reached out and pulled Sophia to their chest, holding the young Hunter close. “Ready to go back home? The rest of the pack misses you.” Azul spoke softly. 

The Young Wolf nodded her head, and with Cerburus+1 in one hand, data cube in the other, the Last City welcomed her back with open arms. 

\---

There's a quote shared by her mother that Sophia kept close to her heart. From a poet long before the Golden Age, his work was all but gone except for one poem.

_"We shall not cease from exploration. And the end of all our exploring. Will be to arrive where we started. And know the place for the first time.”_

At the start of this Sophia Scout started with a family. She lost it, then gained another. Through hardship yes, but at the end of it all she asks if it was worth it. The hurt the Hunter went through. When she looks at her new Clan though, she says yes.

**Author's Note:**

> New book, new person. Really can't wait to get into Sophia some more, she's growing on me. 
> 
> Also thanks for Bondini for actually reminding me that this whole series exists. Covid really is warping my ability to know the time.


End file.
